Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-14-2026
Publication Title
Journal of Chemical Education
Abstract
Reading informational text is a critical skill across most professions. Unfortunately, students are less likely to purchase the required course materials now compared to 2010. A free, interactive text was developed for an introductory chemistry course for non-STEM majors. This involved remixing existing texts and incorporating interactive activities to engage students during the learning process and provide opportunities for them to gauge their learning. Based on the results of a student survey, 82% of students reported that it was very important to them that the text was free and 80% of students who responded reported that they used the eText at least several times a week. In addition to the cost, the format and grading method for the supporting activities accompanying the eText were also found to be important. Students rated autograded questions embedded within the eText more favorably than short-answer questions without feedback. Overall, students found the interactive eText to be a positive resource that effectively supported their learning.
Recommended Citation
J. Chem. Educ. 2026, 103, 4, 1854–1861
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
DOI
10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00443
Version
Publisher's PDF
Volume
103
Issue
4
Comments
This work was funded by a Cleveland State University Textbook Affordability Grant.